Cosmos sign NASL Best XI striker Denissen

The New York Cosmos bolstered their front line on Thursday, signing 2013 NASL Best XI forward Hans Denissen.

The reigning NASL champion Cosmos announced Thursday that they signed Denissen to a contract that will see him play for the club during the 2014 campaign. The Dutchman spent the past two seasons with the San Antonio Scorpions after spending nine years playing in Europe.

“I’m so excited to be joining the New York Cosmos,” Denissen said in a statement released by the team. “This is a club not only with a great history, but a great future, too. Having played against the Cosmos last season, I know this is a team that prides itself on playing an attractive style of attacking soccer. I’m really looking forward to joining this group.”

The 29-year-old Denissen made 25 appearances and was named to the NASL Best XI in 2013. He found the back of the net 12 times during the campaign, tripling his total from 2012, and was named NASL Player of the Month for June/July.

“Hans will be a great addition to our forward line next season,” head coach Giovanni Savarese said. “He is a very dynamic and smart player who will provide a different dimension to our team. We are excited to include another great professional on our club.”

The Cosmos open their 2014 season with a home game vs. the Atlanta Silverbacks on April 13.

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What do you think of the Denissen joining the Cosmos? How many goals do you see him scoring in 2014? Will he lead the league in scoring?

11 Responses to Cosmos sign NASL Best XI striker Denissen

it seems like the Cosmos are coming to a crossroads. That crossroads involves the realization that they will never join MLS. With every other major non-MLS American city presumably building or planning on building a soccer specific stadium to appeal to Garber, I think the league will also come to a crossroad. That crossroad involves restrictions from FIFA about the size of any top league. Most countries abide by the 20-team rule. Large countries like Russia or Brazil may go up to 22 or even 24, but ultimately all countries abide. MLS will max out at 24 American cities. I suspect Fifa will eventually revoke the waiver that allows for Canadian teams, and will instead award Canada that waiver. The smart thing to do will be to use that waiver and take 3 or 4 teams from the US (cosmos, chicago, san diego) into a league with 6 or 7 Canadian teams…hence the Canadian league (North American Premier League). If the league then has no team salary restrictions, the Cosmos will truly be back as world class (as long as they have an owner willing to get Neymar).

That’s a highly improbable, tangled web woven with heaps of what ifs Mr Aristotle. I follow Cosmos stories as I am rooting for them…. or at least the idea of them. Reality though, eh. Cosmos ownership had an inflated sense of self importance, overplayed their hand and have now painted themselves into a very tight corner, simple as that. I am a firm believer that it’s always good to have high aspirations, but there ARE practical considerations and intermediate steps essential in order to reach them…. in this case, lots and lots of primary and then intermediate steps. Their plight considered, I thought they had a very respectable first 6 mos. That said…. a team with second rate ownership,modest capitol, playing second tier competition, in a second tier league in a second tier soccer nation in front of a hand full of fans in a Community College grade facilities is a FAAAAR FAR cry from World Class. Nostalgia, a logo and faint memories will only get you so far….

The Cosmos ownership knew the importance of keeping their “brand” and had a plan. On the pitch, win NASL, win US Open Cup, play CCL. Off the pitch, they wanted to find a sponcer, build a SSS, establish a new fan base. So far, on the field the Cosmos have started well by winning Soccer Bowl. This season we’ll see about their Open Cup run.
The SSS still has to be approved, and more fans have to come out. While the Cosmos sign players to help in the Cup run, in MLS the Red Bulls have let players go due to “cap” problems before Champions League. World Class comes step by step, it’s not something you just “have”.

I like the acquisition for the Cosmos. Last year was a career year for a Dennison but he’s a good professional who will represent them well. Even if he scores half as many goals in 2014 that will be steady production on an otherwise inconsistent front line.

Not to be overlooked: he scored a goal to knock an MLS team out of the US Open Cup in 2012.

Dennison is a positive addition for a Cosmos team not just looking to repeat as NASL champs but to also make a run at the US Open Cup.